Guns With Public Health Warning Labels in New York City

Posted by Reed on November 28, 2017

There are some examples of unnecessary consumer warning notifications like the ones that come on cups of hot coffee that say “warning: contents are hot.” Now, New York City is set to add an item to that list.

The City Council Public Safety Committee voted 6-1 recently to require the NYPD to hand out written warnings about the risks of gun ownership to new applicants for firearm permits. The gun warnings are meant to change the public perception of guns, just like the warnings on cigarette packages, according to Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, a co-sponsor of the bill. Only one councilman, a Republican, opposed the legislation. “Just like the warning that you see on the side of cigarette packs have changed the perception of smoking, these gun warnings are the first step to changing the public’s conversation [on guns],” she said.